Seattle Storm's Jewell Loyd named WNBA Rookie of the Year

Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd was named the WNBA's Rookie of the Year, the league announced Thursday.

Loyd, who gave up a year of NCAA eligibility at Notre Dame to enter the 2015 WNBA draft, was the No. 1 overall pick in April.

The 21-year-old led all WNBA rookies in scoring and free-throw percentage with 10.7 points per game and a 90.4% clip this season. She added 3.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest for a Storm team that finished 10–24.

Loyd bested New York Liberty rookie Kiah Stokes by five votes for the honor, to finish with 21 of the 39 votes from a national panel of writers and broadcasters. The Indiana Fever's Natalie Achonwa received the other two votes.

Loyd, who scored 1,909 points in three seasons with the Irish, is joined by Stokes, Achonwa, teammate Ramu Tokashiki, New York's Brittany Boyd and Los Angeles' Ana Dabovic on the WNBA's All-Rookie Team.

The international ambassador for Dyslexic Advantage, Loyd is the first Rookie of the Year winner in Seattle's 16-year franchise history.

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